Cushion-tire.



` *UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HJALMAR :PAINE OSCAR A. WIDERBERG. ANT) PAUL R. JOHNSON, 0F WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

CUSHION-TIRE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 17,1916.

To nl? will om it muy concern Be it known that we. Hannie PAINE. Osr'AnA. inuciunzlaa and Pun. li. JonNsoN. said PAINE heing a sullject of the l(Var of Russia. and said ll'nucmuzno and said .lonnsnN heilig citizens of the linited Estates. re siding at Worcester. in the countyolworres ter and State of Massachusetts. have invented. a new and useful {'ushion-lire7 of uhieh the following is a siacifiration.

This invention relates to vehicle tires of the cushion type in whii'h in place ol` the usual pneumatic inner tulle a systen'i ot' springs are employed for accomplishing similar purposes.

The principal ohjeots of the invention are to provide a tire of this type with springs so constructed that they fran he readily aS- semhled and also taken out individually and replared in ease of breakage: also to provide a doullle system ol springs. the seeond set as sisting in taking the pressure when there is too much for the lrst series to stand themselves; also to provide improvements in the springs themselves and in the means for holdingr them and removing them, and an improved rim.

Further ohjeetsl and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to he had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side view of a portion of a tire eoiistruetinl in accordance with this invention and partially broken away to show interior Construction; Fig. 2 is a sectional view ot' the same on the line Q---Q of Fig. l; Fig. 3 is a central sectional view of one of the holding hloeks taken on a plane parallel with the plane of seetion of Fig. 3; Fig. 4 is a central sectional View in a plane at right angles to the saine; Fig. 5 is a side View of a key for use in removing the blocks, and Fi". (i is an end view of the same.

The invention is shown as applied to wheel ha ving the usual telly 1() and provided with a met-allie rim 11. This rim in the present oase is shown provided with a series of projections 12; a continuous clamping ring 13 is provided, resting at the inner edge on projections 12 and having a clamping jaw at the outer edge for engaging the head of the outer casing 14 of the tire. This clamping ring is held in position by bolts 15 and nuts. It will be seen that on account of the relative location of the parts this ring has fuif-ruins at l2 and is eapahle or being tightened up to any desired degree.

The outer rasing can he made in any of the usual ways. hut we have shown a layer of leather ll' on the inside to receive the ae- Ytion of the springs within as will appear. lt will he understood. however, that :mv desired style ol flexible outer casing e-.in he used. i

lVhen the parts are assembled a plurality ol' hlocks .50 are arranged around the rini. Eaeh one oi' these hloeks is provided with two sockets 2l at the top or outer surface. these depressions being symmetrically arranged and of .substantially circular section at their ends and communicating with cach other at the renter. The sides ot' these blocks also have roncave sockets extending from one edge of the hlock nearly to the other for a purpose which'will appear. Through the hlock longitudinally extends a passage Q3 which is circula at the center and has two opposite narrow extensions as 24. This hloek is provided with legs 25 eaused h'y eoring out the same between the sides. These hlocli's are arranged to have their opposite surfaces converge slightly so that they can he arranged around the rim. as indicated in Fig. 1. They are held in their relative positions hy a .series ot horse-shoe springs 30. Each ot' these springs has its opposite ends 3l curved. but [n'eferahly in a substantially circular forni to engage in the sockets 21. Each spring is arranged to engage two adjacent hloeks and help hold them in position. The springs may, it desired, come into Contact with each other or substantially so at their widest parts, and they extend around the rim in the plane of tho wheel.

An additional series of springs 35 is shownshaped substantiallylike the springi.l 30 and'having circular ends 3G adapted to enter the soeltets These si'n'ings are designed to engage in the op )osito soelcets of a single hloek and to partaie of the interior shape of the easing, extending around the same inside transversely. They are thus held at their curved ends in these sockets and substantially engage the inner surface ot the outer casing throughout their length so that they always partake of the motions thereof, and their natural resiliency resists all Inotions inwardly of all parts of this casing. The Y thus rere'ive the pressure directly an as t e opposite ends of each spring are received in opposite sides of the sume block each spring is acted on uniformly from end to end. They are assembled by moving them into the sockets edgewise.

It will be seen that only the springs 3) hold the blocks in position. They also ect in assisting to take the weight if the outer casing is torced inwardly far enough for these springs 30 to come in contact with the springs 35 at the outer circumference. 1n this way a double spring action 1s secured, because under great strains there is s second series of springs ready to take part of the burden and assist in holding the casing nearly in its normal position.

A very important feature of this invention lies in the fact that the parts are easily assembled and that when it is desired to taire out a. block on account of the breakage of a spring 35 it can be done very readily. It is for this purpose that the passage 23-24 is provided and in connection with that passage we use a key 26. This key is provided with a transverse bar 27 near its end adapted to pass through the dat passage 24 while the shank of the ke passes through the round passage 23. n order to hold the blocks 1n position when the key is used for pressin the springs out of the sockets 2l., s block 37 is used having a flat bar 38 adapted to enter a large key slot 39 in the end o the block. When it is desired to remove e block this block and key are inserted through the passages end turned. The ends of the bar 27 come into Contact with the ends of the the two springs 30 which engage that block and force them out of the sockets 21. The free end of each spring 30 then springs hack against the next block. The block 37 is held in the other hand to prevent the block 20 moving in with the spring. This having been accomplished, the key is turned so that the bar 27 will not pass through the passage 24, and then the block 20 is pulled out by means of the block 37. The blocks 20 are spaced apart so that they can be moved circumferentielly away from a broken spring 35 in opposite directions to provide s. mseterial space for removing and replacing it. The springs 30 tend to close together et their ends and assist in moving two blocks spart that have been disconnected. When a block has been inserted the ends of the adjacent springs 30 will either be located in the sockets or on the outer edges of the block. In the latter case e liet plate or screw driver can be inserted between the blocks and the i ends ofthe spring pushed in toward the center ofthe block when they will engage in the sockets. The broken spring can be removed readily und a new onesubstituted for it, and the casing spread so that the block 20 can be replaced.

Although we here illustrated and described only a single form of the invention We are aware of the feet time ,modifientiens een be mede therein env person skilled in the nrt without df u from the scope et the invention :i in the rleims Therefore we do not n ted te all. the details of sensi. and described hut @Vlist` we do claim i Y l. .ln e. tire,y the flexible casing, u; ranged rircumfemntis rsiity o suhstzmtieil `hee siieped. springs located in seid Y. ig in the piene of the tire und haring tiiseir free, ends ex tending toward the sentier, the two tree ends oi: each spring y ig two adjacent blot-.ks und holding t ein posities.

'In u tire, the comb, istinn ef s ilexihle outer casing, e plurality ot hloehs nrrsnged therein, each of seid hioclis haring two sockets in the outer surface thereof, and e plurality of springs arranged Within said casing. the two ends of sash s :ring enterA ing the sockets in different bios s, the resilieneyr of said springs fisting te heid the hloclrs in position. i

ln a tire, the combination ef e iiexihle outer easing, of s gidsmlty of hloels se ranged therein out et e ntset Vwith each other, esrh of seid blocks two symmetrically arranged sockets in the outer surfece thereof, end s piurnlity si springs srhaving cursed tien i an unter et blocks erierf-in, ei n sinn ranged within ssl@ free ends entering seid soriets in uierent blocks, the resiliency of seid swings afi-ting to hold the blocks in position, 'sid springs hein arranged in th i" the and su stentifiily sente t eseh other :it their points of gres id being nermally out of eontset with inner surface of said casing.

Ll. ln e tire, the senil outer easing, et e ifi ranged therein eut l. its er other, eseh of seid ng metrlertlly errang etsY in the fece thereof, sind :i ranged within seid i free ends euch entering e" of edjacent blocks, 'heeey ot seid springsacting to hold the ille... .es in posities, said springs being arranged the wlan-e of' the wheei and. substantially reni-uiting with each other at their points. of gzestest Width und being normally out of nordnet with the inner surface of seid ea ing, und an addi tional series of springs .arranged transversely to the first named springs and each one being held nt its ends by one of said blocks.

5. In etire, the combination of e flexible outer oozing, of a plurality of blocks ai'- renged therein, and s plurality@ of springs arranged within said easing, the `fmvo ends of each spring engaging diiferent blocks, and

llU

U series of springs arranged tnan'etversely to the first named springs and each one be'mg held at its ends by one of said blccksand contacting with the inner surface 6 ff thrzcasing substantially throughout its tire, the combination of a flexible o with a series of blocks arf g'therein, yielding means for holding Deke apart, said blocks each having their opposite sides, and a series springs contacting with the inner surface 'oieaijlcas ingand having their ends bent up said sockets so as to be held '7,A4 in a tire, the combination of a exible outer easing with a series of blocks arranged therein, a series of springs for holding said blocks in position, said sprin be- `20 ing arranged all in the same plane and 1n the plane of the wheel, and being adapted to hold the blocks yieldingly in position, said Vsprings being normally out of contact with the inner surface of said easing, and an ad- 'ditional series of springs transversely ar'- ranged and held at their inner ends by said blocks and located outside the first named springs wherebyl the last named springs constantly tend to hold the casing in lts expanded position, and the Erst named springs will assist that action when the is contracted to a certain position.

8. In a tire, the combination cfa exible outer casing with a series of blocks arranged therein, -said blocks each havi ts ingereth' ro one end and having a key slot' to' said sockets, and a series of rings having their ends entering said sec ets and in position to be displaced by the lgcywhen inserted. f A A In testimony whereof We have hereunto set our hands.

HJALMAR PAIE. OSCAR A. WIDERBERG. PAUL R. JOHNSON. 

